Mold with thermally conductive flanges

ABSTRACT

A mold for forming a flange of a wind turbine blade comprising a first flange portion including a plurality of lamina and having a generally planar shape and a second perpendicular flange including a plurality of lamina. A plurality of copper wires are disposed within the lamina for conducting heat delivered from a base portion through the first and second flange portions. The mold is free of fluid conduits with the flange portions moveable relative to the base portion.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a Continuation of and claims the benefit of priorityunder 35 USC 120 of U.S. application Ser. No. 16/058,605 filed Aug. 8,2018, which claims the benefit of priority under 35 USC 119 to U.S.Provisional application No. 62/646,185 filed Mar. 21, 2018, the entirecontents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSED SUBJECT MATTER Field of the DisclosedSubject Matter

The disclosed subject matter relates to a system for molding shapedcomposite materials. Particularly, the present disclosed subject matteris directed towards a mold and corresponding method of manufacturingcomposite materials including carbon and/or glass fiber, e.g., windturbine blades.

Description of Related Art

A variety of methods and systems are known for forming and shaping windturbine blades. Often it is desired to provide heat to aid in theshaping and contouring of such blades. Conventional wind turbine blademolds include fluid conduits or piping to deliver the heating/coolingmedium—typically water.

Examples of conventional molds and techniques are provided in thefollowing publications, each of which is hereby incorporated byreference in their entirety: U.S. Pat. Nos. 9,463,583, 8,108,982,8,899,546, 4,105,184, 5,260,014, 5,358,211, 5,437,547, 6,264,877,6,040,362, 8,202,458, 8,33,7192; and U.S. Patent Application PublicationNumbers 20060027314, 20060249872, 20070102837, 20110221093, 20130113141,20140333009, 20140345789, 20160158970, 20160185092 and US20160193752.

Such conventional methods and systems generally have been consideredsatisfactory for their intended purpose. Recently, however, there hasbeen a need for a mold which can provide controlled heating of thecomposite component without the use of complex fluid heating/coolingsystems.

The presently disclosed subject matter provides a new innovativesolution for a mold for forming a flange of a composite material, e.g.wind turbine blade, in which the mold is formed with thermal conductorsto transfer heat throughout the flange portions.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSED SUBJECT MATTER

The purpose and advantages of the disclosed subject matter will be setforth in and apparent from the description that follows, as well as willbe learned by practice of the disclosed subject matter. Additionaladvantages of the disclosed subject matter will be realized and attainedby the methods and systems particularly pointed out in the writtendescription and claims hereof, as well as from the appended drawings.

To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purposeof the disclosed subject matter, as embodied and broadly described, thedisclosed subject matter includes a mold for forming a flange of a windturbine blade comprising a first flange portion, the first portionincluding a plurality of lamina; a second flange portion including aplurality of lamina, the second flange portion connected to the firstflange portion; a thermal conductor disposed within at least a portionof the second flange portion; a base portion, the base portion having aheating element disposed therein; and wherein the thermal conductor isconfigured to transfer heat through the first flange portion and secondflange portion.

In some embodiments, the second flange is integrally connected to, anddisposed perpendicularly to the first flange portion.

In some embodiments, the first and second flange portions and baseportion are free of fluid conduits.

In some embodiments, the thermal conductor is disposed within at least aportion of the first flange portion, and has a coefficient of thermalconductivity greater than the lamina material.

In some embodiments, the thermal conductor includes at least one metalfoil, and/or a plurality of uniformly spaced copper wires.

In some embodiments, the thermal conductor extends along the entirelength of the second flange portion.

In some embodiments, the heating element includes at least one copperwire.

In some embodiments, the heating element is disposed within a distanceof approximately three inches from the surface of the base portion

In some embodiments, the thermal conductor is disposed within a distanceof approximately three inches from the surface of the second flangeportion.

In some embodiments, the base portion is moveable relative to at leastone of the first and second flange portions.

In some embodiments, the first or second flange portions are moveablerelative to the base portion.

In some embodiments, a plurality of thermal conductors are interwovenbetween the lamina of the first and second flange portions.

In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, a method of forminga portion of a wind turbine blade comprises: providing a mold having afirst flange portion, the first portion including a plurality of laminaand having a generally planar shape; providing a second flange portionincluding a plurality of lamina, the second flange portion having agenerally planar shape and connected to the first flange portion;providing a thermal conductor disposed within at least a portion of thesecond flange portion; providing a base portion, the base portion havinga heating element disposed therein; activating the heating element inthe base portion; transferring heat from the heating element through thefirst flange portion and second flange portion; and placing a compositematerial in contact with at least one of the base portion and secondflange portions.

In some embodiments, the base portion is moved to at least partiallycontact the first flange portion.

In some embodiments, the thermal conductor is heated to provide auniform temperature along the second flange portion.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description andthe following detailed description are exemplary and are intended toprovide further explanation of the disclosed subject matter claimed.

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute partof this specification, are included to illustrate and provide a furtherunderstanding of the method and system of the disclosed subject matter.Together with the description, the drawings serve to explain theprinciples of the disclosed subject matter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A detailed description of various aspects, features, and embodiments ofthe subject matter described herein is provided with reference to theaccompanying drawings, which are briefly described below. The drawingsare illustrative and are not necessarily drawn to scale, with somecomponents and features being exaggerated for clarity. The drawingsillustrate various aspects and features of the present subject matterand may illustrate one or more embodiment(s) or example(s) of thepresent subject matter in whole or in part.

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of convention mold for formingflanges of a wind turbine blade.

FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of the mold having a thermalconductor within the flange portions, in accordance with the disclosedsubject matter.

FIG. 3 is a view of the mold after an infusion process, with the thermalconductor incorporated under the mold exterior surface, in accordancewith the disclosed subject matter.

FIG. 4 is a view of the mold with the thermal conductors added to thelayup of the blade during flange lamination, in accordance with thedisclosed subject matter.

FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of mold with a removableflange, in accordance with the disclosed subject matter.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT

Reference will now be made in detail to exemplary embodiments of thedisclosed subject matter, an example of which is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings. The method and corresponding steps of thedisclosed subject matter will be described in conjunction with thedetailed description of the system.

The methods and systems presented herein may be used for molding shapedcomposite materials. The disclosed subject matter is particularly suitedfor manufacturing of composite materials including carbon and/or glassfiber, e.g., wind turbine blades.

Molds employed for manufacturing composite materials contain variouscontours to shape the composite material, ensure a desired geometry, andsimultaneously process the composite materials, in particular for curingthe matrix formers contained therein. For example, a fiber material isadded to the mold in the area of fiber composite construction, andsubsequently impregnated with resin, for example in a vacuum infusionprocess, and cured through thermal exposure. The manufacturing stepinvolving impregnation can also be facilitated by using pre-impregnatedmaterial (prepreg).

In order to apply or introduce sufficient heat to the composite materialto be fabricated or the fiber material impregnated with resin, the moldincorporates a heating device which can heat the composite material ormatrix former container therein enough for curing purposes. However,large-surface molds can present a challenge in terms of selecting thegeometry for the heating device in a way that can ensure both anadequately uniform distribution of heat in the mold, as well as a rapidresponse time for the desired portion(s) of the mold to reach the targettemperature.

The molds employed in connection with wind turbine blade constructionare sometimes provided with heating devices which are integrated intothe mold as heating channels for guiding a heating fluid. Such heatingdevices are typically permanently laminated into the molds, whichencompass glass fiber laminate or carbon fiber laminate, and cannot beremoved repositioned or rearranged therein without destroying thecomposite. Worse, such conventional heating devices often generateundesired local heat maximums on the surface sections provided forshaping the composite material, which contribute to a non-uniformemission of heat to the composite material to be shaped and cured. Theheat maximums can cause non-uniform structural features (e.g. localwarping, ablation, etc.) to form in the composite article being formedwithin the mold.

Additionally, a non-uniform emission of heat to the composite materialcan cause certain areas of the composite material to cure prematurely,while other areas require additional dwell time to be sufficiently curedor stabilized. As a result, the quality and homogeneity of the compositematerial to be fabricated is inadequate. Heating a mold with fluid hasadditional drawbacks such the heating fluid (e.g. water) can causecorrosion in the pipes, destroying the mold. Also, the range oftemperatures is limited as heating above 90° C. cannot be achieved andthe fluid conduits often require pressurization and thus the risk ofdangerous leakage or explosion can occur.

In accordance with present disclosure, the blade is formed by use of amold having two portions a first one of which is designed to bepositioned on the second portion. The first mold portion can bepivoted/rotated in a clam-shell fashion into engagement with the secondportion, or alternatively can be lowered into engagement via handlingmeans, e.g. crane with supporting straps.

Prior to joining the two mold portions, the two mold portions are in theopen position in which the interior walls are exposed (i.e. faceupwards) so that one or more layers of a flexible cloth having threadsmade up of a mixture of threads or fibers of plastics material and ofreinforcing threads or fibers, preferably of fiberglass, can be put intoplace inside each mold portion. Such a cloth can be constituted bythreads made up of a mixture of polypropylene fibers or threads andglass fibers or threads, and in the form of a sheet of woven threadsand/or in multi-ply form.

For purpose of explanation and illustration, and not limitation, anexemplary embodiment of the system in accordance with the disclosedsubject matter is shown in the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 depicts aconventional mold design for forming a flange of a wind turbine bladehaving a base portion 100 and L-shaped flange 200. The base portion 100is heated via wires, however the vertical surface of the L-shaped flange200 remains relatively cool. Consequently, the conventional mold doesnot allow for direct and rapid delivery of heat to the vertical portionof the flange, and thus provide insufficient control over the flangeforming process and duration.

Advantageously, the mold of the present disclosure provides forcontrolled heating/cooling throughout the entire flange and, in someembodiments, is free of fluid conduits thereby avoiding the complexperipheral equipment associated with liquid heated molds.

FIG. 2 depicts an exemplary embodiment of the mold in accordance withthe present disclosure and is designated generally by referencecharacter 1000. Similar reference numerals (differentiated by theleading numeral) may be provided among the various views and Figurespresented herein to denote functionally corresponding, but notnecessarily identical structures.

As shown in FIG. 2, the system 1000 generally includes a mold forforming a flange of a wind turbine blade having a base portion 100 andL-shaped flange 200. The L-shaped flange includes a first flange portion204 and a second flange portion 202. In the exemplary embodiment shown,the flange portions 202, 204 are integrally formed with the secondportion 204 extending perpendicularly in the vertical direction from thefirst horizontal portion 202. For purpose of illustration and notlimitation, an exemplary embodiment includes a flange having equallysized (i.e. aspect ratio=1) flange portions 202, 204 of approximately 4inches in width. In other embodiments the flange 204 can be formed of afirst size (e.g. 4 inches) while flange 202 has a larger size (e.g. 6inches). It is to be understood that the current disclosure is notlimited to any particular dimensions, and that the geometry of theflanges can be adjusted as desired to accommodate any desired bladeconfiguration.

The base and flange portions of the mold can be formed from a pluralityof laminations joined together. In some embodiments each layer has auniform thickness and material composition, however non-uniformconstructions are also contemplated to be within the scope of thedisclosure. Also, adjacent lamina may be formed with consistentgeometries, or alternatively, varying geometries depending on theproximity to the mold surface and the shape of the composite article tobe formed. The number of lamina employed can be selected to achieve adesired amount of insulation of the heat transfer elements 120, 220described in further detail below.

In some embodiments the laminations are composed of a fiber reinforcedresin matrix composite material. All mold materials which are known inthe art as being typical for the manufacture of polymeric molds may beemployed. The resin matrix may be epoxy, polyester, vinylester, cyanateester or a hybrid type. The fibers may be glass, carbon, basalt, aramid,or a hybrid type.

The base portion 100 is heated heating element 120, which can extendalong the entire surface area of the base portion. In accordance with anaspect of the present disclosure, heat transfer elements 120, 220 can beemployed to impart either a heating or cooling operation on the mold andflanges.

In some embodiments the heating element(s) 120 can be wires, e.g. steel,copper, etc. which have a coefficient of thermal conductivity which isgreater than the mold lamina material employed. Additionally, ifdesired, the heating element can be configured as a fluid medium, e.g.water. The heating element 120 is positioned proximate the surface ofthe base portion which engages the composite article to provide rapidand efficient heat transfer. In an exemplary embodiment, the heatingelement 120 is disposed within a distance of approximately three inchesfrom the surface of the base portion which engages the compositearticle. Though it should be understood that the location of the heatingelement proximate the surface can be adjusted as desired to achieve thetarget heating/cooling performance.

The flange portions 202, 204 can be formed with a thermal conductor 220disposed between the lamina of the flanges. The thermal conductors 220allow for controlled and efficient delivery of heat from the horizontalfirst portion 202 upward, and away from the heat source, i.e. heatingelement 120, to the vertical second portion 204, as indicated by thearrow superimposed on the flange member as shown in FIG. 2. In someembodiments the thermal conductor 220 is formed from a metal (e.g.copper, steel, etc.) having a coefficient of thermal conductivity whichis greater than the surrounding mold lamina material employed.

Additionally, the thermal conductor 220 can be shaped as a foil having asubstantially flat configuration. Such a construction can beadvantageous in that it allows for a plurality of thermal conductors 220to be positioned adjacent each other in an abutting manner to eliminateany gaps therebetween. Also, forming the thermal conductor 220 as aplanar foil allows for easy application of overlying lamina when formingthe mold 1000. However, in some embodiments the thermal conductor can beformed as a round wire having a diameter, or gauge, sufficient toprovide the desired amount of thermal conductivity. The thermalconductors 220 can be arranged in a uniformly spaced manner across thesurface of the flange member. In some embodiments, the thermal conductorcan be formed as a plurality of wires, or layers of foil, which areembedded in an interwoven fashion with the mold lamina.

Additionally or alternatively, the thermal conductor 220 can beconfigured as a woven mesh of equally-spaced conductive fibers, e.g.veil, positioned approximately 9-11 millimeters below the surface. Insome embodiments, the thermal conductor 220 can be a substantiallycontiguous sheet having perforations therein. In yet other embodiments,the thermal conductor 220 can be a bundle of fine and flexible filamentsarranged in a uniform or random orientation.

In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 2-4, the thermal conductor220 extends along the entire length of the first 202 and second 204flange portions. This allows for the controlled and efficient transferof heat, at all points along the second flange portion 204, directly tothe composite article being formed. In some embodiments, the thermalconductors 220 can be positioned in a more dense, e.g. closer,configuration in one flange portion relative to the other flangeportion. For example, thermal conductors 220 in the second flangeportion 204 can be more densely packed than the thermal conductors inthe first flange portion 202. Such a configuration can compensate forthe inherent dissipation of heat as the current travels up the flangeportion 204, and thus provides for a more consistent temperature withinthat flange portion.

Thermal conductor 220 provides controlled rates of heat transfer whichcan limit internal stresses of a resultant product and limiting shrinkand warpage of the product. Such control consequently enhances anoverall quality of the resulting product. Additionally, the cycle timemay be significantly reduced for improving the output volume ofcomponents fabricated by the particulate tool 1000.

In some embodiments, the heating element 120 of the base portion is theonly element directly heated (i.e. the thermal conductors 220 in theflange 200 do not have a current directly applied therein).Additionally, or alternatively, the thermal conductors 220 in the flange200 can have a current directly applied to expedite heat transfer andflange formation. The thermal conductors 220 and heating elements 120can have a common power source or distinct power sources, as desired. Anadvantage of utilizing a plurality of thermal conductors 220 with adistinct power source is that even if there is a failure in the heatingelement 120 in the base portion during the manufacturing process, theflange portion 200 retains the ability to reach the desired temperaturevia direct application of heat through thermal conductors 220.Similarly, forming the thermal conductors 220 as a plurality ofinterwoven members is beneficial in that the mold remains able to reachthe desired temperature even if a particular thermal conductor fails oris damaged.

In operation, the mold can be opened and closed by imparting relativemovement between the base portion 100 and flange portion 200. In otherwords, the base portion 100 can be fixed and the flange portion 200moveable, or the base portion 100 can be moveable while the flangeportion 200 remains fixed. Additionally, or alternatively, both the baseportion 100 and flange portion 200 can be moved simultaneously.

Once the composite material to be formed into the finished article isdeposited within the mold, the heating element 120 is activated to adesired temperature. Additionally, in those embodiments where thethermal conductor 220 can also be directly heated via an appliedcurrent, the thermal conductors will be activated to reach a desiredtemperature. As the flange portion 200 is brought into contact (or atleast proximity) with the base portion 100, heat is transferred from theheating element 120 to the thermal conductors 220 in the first flangeportion 202. The heat acquired in the first flange portion 202 isfurther transferred from the first flange portion 202 to the secondflange portion 204. Thus, allowing for second flange portion 204 to morequickly reach the desired temperature, and maintain that temperature forthe duration of the flange formation cycle.

In some embodiments, the flange 202, or at least portions thereof, isbrought into direct contact with base portion 100. Such configurationscan enhance heat transfer and to achieve the target temperature morerapidly, thereby reducing cycle time.

In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, the heat transfersystem disclosed herein can be operated to provide localizedheating/cooling zones within the flange. For example, select heatingelements 120, and corresponding thermal conductors 220, can be set to ahigher temperature than neighboring elements/conductors along the flangelength. In some embodiments, the localized heating/cooling zones can beoperated independently of each other—with a first zone providing aheating application while a neighboring zone simultaneously provides acooling application. Further, the thermal conductors 220 within theflange can also serve as thermometers to provide real-time feedback ofthe temperature present at each location of the flange. This allows forcontinuous monitoring of the thermal map of the blade to avoid orachieve any particular heat gradient desired. Moreover, the thermalconductors 220 can trigger an alarm if any preselected temperature limitis exceeded.

As shown in FIG. 5, a lower mold half (e.g. pressure side of blade) isprovided having mold surface 500 which forms the skin of the blade (acomplimentary second mold half for forming the suction side of the bladeis also provided which is closed upon the lower mold, with resinthereafter drawn throughout the fiber layup segments). Each mold halfincludes a main flange (e.g. 530) which is a permanent part of the mold.As shown in greater detail in the zoom-in callout of FIG. 5, the lowermold has a substantially planar flange 530 which is configured tooperate in tandem with removable flange 540. The removable flange 540containing the thermal conductors, as described above. In someembodiments, as shown the main flange 530 can extend a distance greaterthan the generally laterally extending portion 542 of removable flange540, as shown in FIG. 5. Additionally, the upwardly extending portion544 can be formed at an angle other than 90°, e.g. approximately 105°relative to lateral portion 542, as shown. In such embodiments, thethermal flange portion 544 facilitates the formation of a bonding flangeof the turbine blade, which has a complimentary flange formed on theother blade half, with these two formed flanges being brought intoengagement upon closure of the two mold halves to provide final bondingand blade assembly.

In operation, the removable flange 540 is brought into engagement withmain flange 530 while the composite structure is formed within the moldwith the desired fiber (e.g. glass, carbon, etc.) and resin.Additionally, the thermal conductors are activated to achieve thedesired temperature in the removable flange 542, 544, which facilitatesthe formation of the bonding surface flange of the final product. Onceformed and the desired temperature of the formed flange is obtained, theremovable flange 540 is removed, leaving the formed flange unobstructedand configured for engagement with the complimentary flange formed inthe other mold half.

In accordance with the present disclosure, a plurality of removableflanges can be incorporated on both the upper (blade suction side) moldand lower (blade pressure side) mold to form complimentary flanges whichare bonded together for form the final blade assembly.

While the disclosed subject matter is described herein in terms ofcertain preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognizethat various modifications and improvements may be made to the disclosedsubject matter without departing from the scope thereof. Moreover,although individual features of one embodiment of the disclosed subjectmatter may be discussed herein or shown in the drawings of the oneembodiment and not in other embodiments, it should be apparent thatindividual features of one embodiment may be combined with one or morefeatures of another embodiment or features from a plurality ofembodiments.

In addition to the specific embodiments claimed below, the disclosedsubject matter is also directed to other embodiments having any otherpossible combination of the dependent features claimed below and thosedisclosed above. As such, the particular features presented in thedependent claims and disclosed above can be combined with each other inother manners within the scope of the disclosed subject matter such thatthe disclosed subject matter should be recognized as also specificallydirected to other embodiments having any other possible combinations.Thus, the foregoing description of specific embodiments of the disclosedsubject matter has been presented for purposes of illustration anddescription. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit thedisclosed subject matter to those embodiments disclosed.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variousmodifications and variations can be made in the method and system of thedisclosed subject matter without departing from the spirit or scope ofthe disclosed subject matter. Thus, it is intended that the disclosedsubject matter include modifications and variations that are within thescope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of forming a portion of a wind turbineblade within a blade mold comprising: providing a removable mold havinga first laterally extending flange portion, the first laterallyextending portion including a plurality of lamina and having a generallyplanar shape; providing a second vertically extending flange portionincluding a plurality of lamina, the second vertically extending flangeportion having a generally planar shape and connected to the firstlaterally extending flange portion; wherein a thermal conductor isdisposed within at least a portion of the second flange portion;positioning the removable mold above a base portion of the blade mold,the base portion of the blade mold having a heating element disposedtherein; activating the heating element in the base portion of the blademold; transferring heat from the heating element through the firstlaterally extending flange portion and second vertically extendingflange portion; and placing a composite material in contact with atleast one of the base portion of the blade mold and second verticallyextending flange portions; and removing the removable mold from theblade mold.
 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising moving the baseportion of the blade mold to at least partially contact the firstlaterally extending flange portion.
 3. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising heating the thermal conductor to provide a uniformtemperature along the second vertically extending flange portion.
 4. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the thermal conductor extends from the firstlaterally extending flange portion to the second vertically extendingflange portion.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second verticallyextending flange portion extends perpendicularly from the firstlaterally extending flange portion.
 6. The method of claim 1, whereinthe second vertically extending flange portion is disposed at a leadingedge of the base portion of the blade mold.
 7. The mold of claim 1,wherein the second vertically extending flange portion is disposedperpendicularly to the first laterally extending flange portion.
 8. Themold of claim 1, wherein the first laterally extending flange portionand the second vertically extending flange portion are integrallyconnected.
 9. The mold of claim 1, wherein the thermal conductor isdisposed within at least a portion of the first laterally extendingflange portion.
 10. The mold of claim 1, wherein the thermal conductorincludes at least one copper wire.
 11. The mold of claim 1, wherein thethermal conductor extends along the entire length of the secondvertically extending flange portion.
 12. The mold of claim 1, whereinthe base portion the blade mold is moveable relative to at least one ofthe first laterally extending flange portion and the second verticallyextending flange portions.
 13. The mold of claim 1, wherein the firstlaterally extending flange portion or the second vertically extendingflange portions are moveable relative to the base portion.
 14. A methodof forming a portion of a wind turbine blade within a blade moldcomprising: providing a removable mold having a first laterallyextending flange portion, the first laterally extending portionincluding a plurality of lamina and having a generally planar shape;providing a second vertically extending flange portion including aplurality of lamina, the second vertically extending flange portionhaving a generally planar shape and connected to the first laterallyextending flange portion; wherein a thermal conductor is disposed withinat least a portion of the second flange portion; positioning theremovable mold above a base portion of the blade mold; applying acurrent to the thermal conductor; transferring heat through the firstlaterally extending flange portion and second vertically extendingflange portion; and placing a composite material in contact with atleast one of the first horizontally extending flange and secondvertically extending flange portions; and removing the removable moldfrom the blade mold.
 15. The mold of claim 14, wherein the firsthorizontally extending flange portion includes zones therein that areheated to different temperatures.
 16. The mold of claim 14, wherein thefirst laterally extending flange portion or the second verticallyextending flange portions are moveable relative to the base portion. 17.The method of claim 14, further comprising moving the base portion ofthe blade mold to at least partially contact the first laterallyextending flange portion.
 18. The method of claim 14, wherein the secondvertically extending flange portion is disposed at a leading edge of thebase portion of the blade mold.
 19. The mold of claim 14, wherein thethermal conductor includes at least one copper wire.
 20. The mold ofclaim 14, wherein the thermal conductor extends along the entire lengthof the second vertically extending flange portion.